Turn to The Last Word, where software professionals who care about quality give you their opinions on hot topics. This month, Linda Hayes details why being able to predict the end state of your data at the beginning of a test is vital to achieving accurate results.

We're pleased to bring you technical editors who are well respected in their fields. Get their take on everything that relates to the industry, technically speaking. In this issue, Mike Cohn discusses the myth of multitasking and how trying to work on too many tasks at once can actually kill productivity.

Building relationships is important because trust allows us to share information more freely. In his article, Jason Yip explains why he'd rather have a face-to-face conversation about bugs instead of relying solely on a traditional bug report.

Every manager has a story to tell. Find out how one management professional tackles a fictional dilemma. The story may be made up, but the solutions are tried and true. In this installment, Peter Clark spins a yarn of what can happen when a team member's talent goes to his head.